Fence



(NqModeL) 'W. -D. WHITNEY.

'FENGE.

No; 447,420; Patented Mar, 3, 1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIE D. \VHITNEY, OF CLARENDON, NEW YORK.

FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 447,420, dated March 3, 1891.

Application filed July 21, 1890. Serial No. 359,471. on man.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIE D. WHITNEY, of Clarendon, in the county'of Orleans and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Fences; and

I do hereby-declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the drawings accompanying this application.

My improvement relates to that class of rail fence in which the rails are attached to cross-stakes by means of suspending-wires. Such fences are well known.

My invention consists in special means for tightening the two top rails in theupper and lower orotches of the stakes, as hereinafter morefully described and definitely claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a section of rail fence, showing my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged end elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the wires. Fig. 4 is a View of one of the hooks.

A A indicate the crossed stakes, which are driven into the ground at proper intervals apart to support the fence. The stakes are strengthened by short anch0r stakes B B, driven into the ground in reversed positions and wired thereto, as shown.

C is the upper rail, which rests in the upper crotch of the stakes, and D is the second top rail resting in the lower crotch of the stakes, said rails being bound tightly in place by the wires hereinafter described.

E E are the remaining rails composing the fence, suspended from the stakes by the wires, as will be morefully explained.

F is the binding and suspending wire, of which one is used at each pair of stakes. Each of these wires is made in a single length. It is first bent in the middle and looped horizontally around the tops of the two stakes, so as to embrace both above the top'rail, as shown at a. The two crossed ends are then carried down vertically, as shown at b 12, passing on opposite sides of the stakes A A, as shown in Fig. 2. These ends are then carried under the second top rail D and twisted tightly to gether, as shown at c. From this point the two loose ends are carried down to the bottom of the fence and twisted together, as

shown at d.

The lower rails E E are placed at proper intervals between these lengths and are separated by S-shaped hooks f f, which hook around the wires and form separate loops, that sustain the rails.

G is a binder consisting of a stake of suitable length, the top of which is inserted in the loop a over the single length of the loop and under the two crossed ends, as shown, said binder then being pressed down at the outer end till it strikes the ground. This binder is wired to each of the lower rails E E, as shown at g g.

The pressing of the binder down, as above described, produces a double action. First, it binds the loop a tightly around the top of the stakes A A and tightens them together, and also binds the top rail closely in the upper crotch; second, it draws up on the ends I) b and draws the second. top rail D closely up into the lower crotch of the'stakes. The leverage of the binder G produced by the tension of loop to causes the wire loops g g to tighten to the rails, and the two thus produce mutual action to keep the fence stiff and rigid.

The advantage of the construction above described is that thetwo upper rails are bound tightly into the upper and lower orotches of the stakes, thus stiffening the stakes and binding the said upper rails against end movement or displacement. It also renders the fence much stiffer and stronger than those fences where the rails are simply suspended from the stakes by wires.

If desired, separate wire loops 1) 19 may be used, binding the stakes together under the second top rail; but usually they are not required.

In setting up the fence ordinary jacks are used, on which the ends of the second top rail D are supported. The stakes are then placed in position, crossing this rail, and the top rider-rail Ois placed in the upper orotches of the stakes. The wire F is then attached to the stakes, "as described, and the loop I) I) carried around the second top rail. The upper end of the binder G is then inserted in the loop a, (which is loose and open,) after which the jacks are removed and the binder forced down to tighten the fence. The lower rails E E are then attached in the usual way.

Having described my invention, I do not claim, simply and broadly, a binder forbinding the upper rail into the upper crotch of the fence. Neither do I claim, broadly, suspending the rails by a single wire.

W'hat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a rail fence, the combination, with the crossed stakes A A and upper two rails C D, resting in the npperand lower crotches of the same, of the single wire F, formed with the loop b Z), embracing the ends of said rails, and with loops at the bottom for receiving the lower rails of the fence, and a binder G, inserted in the loop Z) above the upper rail, said binder serving to tighten the two upper rails into the crotches of the stakes in opposing directions, as herein shown and described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

\V. Di WHITNEY. Witnesses:

R. F. Oscoon, C. M. W'INsLOW. 

